Owkin

Paris // Grands Boulevards // 2 300m^²

sectorTech

Owkin, the biotechnology of tomorrow reinventing itself today.

Founded in 2016, the Franco-American biotechnology company Owkin combines the best of artificial and human intelligence in service to biopharmaceutical and academic researchers.

This ambitious project for the future of healthcare is led by two visionary figures: Thomas Clozel MD, former assistant professor in clinical onco-haematology, and Gilles Wainrib, a pioneer in the field of machine learning in biology. For Owkin, a better understanding of complex biology means better outcomes for research and for patients. This simple adage has helped the company to raise $300m in funding and investments from international biopharmaceutical giants and venture capital funds to become a biotech unicorn.

Owkin is reinventing traditional medical rationale and pushing at the boundaries of innovation using a shrewd blend of AI and data. The methodology opens the door to innovative ways of identifying new treatments, developing more accurate and effective diagnostic tools, hastening clinical trials and reducing risks. Advancing more sustainable and effective healthcare solutions is no longer a utopian dream, it's reality that transcends fiction, enabling Owkin to formulate treatments which are optimised for each of its customers.

Providing Owkin HQ with a corporate identity.

How do you make a location the metaphor for a company's success and meteoric growth?

Factory rose to the challenge working collaboratively with Owkin every step of the way. Embracing the hallmarks of artificial intelligence, new technologies and the human touch that are so close to the company's identity, we took an architectural approach. Our aim was to offer a unique user experience in every space. We wanted to mirror the company's philosophy of hospitality and hybridity, infusing its essence into every room of the Parisien office.

The challenge was to provide an architectural and decorative setting that matches Owkin's ambitions for the medical biotechnology sector. The entire Factory team pushed the boundaries of its imagination, to bring life to a unique place which reflects the image of Owkin. Every material, every piece of furniture, every creative decision carries the brand's DNA throughout the 2,300m2 of office space.

The challenge was to provide an architectural and decorative setting that matches Owkin's ambitions for the medical biotechnology sector.

So how do you design high-performance spaces to accommodate the intellectual and creative potential of Owkin's team? We wanted to imbue the atmosphere of the space with the team's distinctive personality and to embody their values: energy, talent, responsibility and friendliness. Of course, productivity was a key expectation of these spaces, but a workspace isn't just for working.

Opening up workspaces also means breaking down relational barriers within the team. In this way, Factory and Owkin have increased the number of spaces conducive to the creation of networks and collective intelligence, by designing leisure, rest and co-creation areas to improve the quality of life at work.

Owkin: building its future in an historic building.

Because we stop at nothing, we took up the challenge of redeveloping Owkin's spaces despite a tight deadline. Our mantra for this project? Just do it!
"Our mantra for this project? Just do it!

The combined strength of Factory's strategy and real estate research teams generated ideas conducive to team-building. The first step in this ambitious project was to find an exceptional location to accommodate the intellectual and relational energy of Owkin teams. In search of the best location, not the best margin, our Real Estate Strategy team set its sights on a 20,000m2 freestone building as a showcase for Owkin, ideally situated in the 9th arrondissement of Paris.

Our teams were seduced by the unique location, the building's robust nature, combined with the period cachet of Haussmann's boulevards. The architecture was perfectly suited to accommodating Owkin's ambition. "The building's robust nature, combined with the period cachet of Haussmann's boulevard was perfectly suited to accommodating Owkin's ambition."

The Social Club, the foundation of Owkin's collective intelligence.

The cornerstone of the project was to strengthen the Owkin's social dynamic. Because performance is based, above all, on the strength of human bonds, the entire design logic of the project was based on the emotional dimension.

This ideological footing enabled us to agree on a founding concept: the "Social Club".

The basis of our design logic was to create spaces that encourage open-mindedness and the free flow of communication and ideas between employees.

As a result, the Haussmann-style flats were opened up with an eye to the ergonomics and day-to-day functionality of the space. Above all, we wanted people to really get to know each other and to develop team spirit at work.

Behind each employee, each manager, are passionate men and women who share common values. These same values and desires drive them to these professional premises every day.

Of course, at Factory, we always follow through on our ideas. We were inspired by the premium décor of illustrious social clubs: in our choice of top-of-the-range materials; and using the constraints of blending in with the natural ornaments of the venue: - cut stone, mouldings, terracotta tiles, etc.

On the ground floor, the reception area offers comfortable, open-plan lounges in a refined setting.

Elegance and simplicity create an atmosphere of tranquillity on arrival. The cycle parking, replete with repair kit and secure changing rooms, delights Owkin's fine team of cyclists. In an already magnificent setting, a spiral stone staircase leads up to the 1st floor, leaving plenty of room for social interaction.

A large living room is dedicated to catering, breaks and in-house events. It has been designed to generate new stories every day, the stories that strengthen Owkin's corporate culture today.

The meeting rooms and modular spaces, decorated with exceptional materials, set a new tone for and collaboration and group work.

Because productivity and performance require a good balance of concentration and breathing space, we couldn't overlook the design of break-out rooms.

As the nerve centre of social and convivial spaces, this recreation space has been designed for all, with a basketball hoop, bookshelves, board games and musical instruments available to employees at all times. Work hard, play hard.

The second floor has been designed as a place conducive to concentration.

Cosy lounges are partitioned from the open spaces and encourage small group discussions. Other individual spaces have been designed to encourage seclusion. The whole is a real bubble of productivity and concentrated efficiency, away from the hustle and bustle of the streets below.

In short, this is a workplace combining subtle nuances of history and modernity, character and warmth, productivity and fun. All with a view to fostering relationships.

The work was carried out at the same time as the employees took possession of the premises, enabling us to provide an after-sales service that was much appreciated by Owkin. It was a marvellous challenge to ensure and perpetuate the wonderful history of this company within budget and to tight deadlines.

Client testimony

Factory's furniture team worked hard with us to meet our CSR challenges and our desire to mix new furniture with vintage pieces. The result is a unique, made-to-measure furniture design that combines comfort and ergonomics for the workspaces with vintage decor for the chill-out areas. Vibrant colours and beautiful furniture - our teams love it!

Zanago Sanou
People & Culture Senior Manager, Owkin

Summary sheet

sectorTech

area2 300m^²

placeParis // Grands Boulevards

delivery2023

Engaged Expertises

Architectural Concept.
Experience Design.
Concept & Storytelling.
Furniture and Decoration.
Strategy and Property Search.
Workplace Strategy.

Smart urban offices
In densely populated city centers, offices could implement smart solutions to optimize space utilization and enhance energy efficiency. This may include public transportation management systems, shared bike infrastructure, coworking spaces, and concierge services for employees.
Customized workspaces
The creation of personalized and adaptive workspaces that automatically adjust to individual employee preferences and needs, including lighting, temperature, furniture arrangement, etc.
Sustainability and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)
The company's initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint, promote recycling, use sustainable materials, and adopt environmentally-friendly practices.
Multisensory experience and immersive environments
The use of advanced technologies to create multisensory experiences and immersive environments in workspaces, fostering employee engagement, creativity, and productivity.
Work-life balance
Policies and initiatives that support work-life balance, such as the right to disconnect, family support programs, social benefits, and leave flexibility.
User experience (UX)
The focus on the overall user experience in the workspace, creating aesthetically pleasing, functional, and ergonomic environments, offering additional services and amenities, and fostering a positive corporate culture.

Share the project

Next design

Issy Les Moulineaux // Seine // 7 000m^²

BC Partners